In a variable-crown roll loaded by means of shoes, and in particular from the mantle of such a roll, different properties are required in the direction of the circumference of the mantle and in the direction of the roll axle. Variable-crown rolls are used commonly as nip rolls, and in such a case the shape of the mantle must remain unchanged even at high nip loads. However, when the nip pressure is to be profiled in the direction of the roll axle, the rigidity of the roll mantle in the axial direction must be low to enable the profiling. Conventional variable-crown rolls are thick-mantle steel rolls, in which case the profiling of the nip pressures requires that very high forces be applied to the roll mantle. For this reason, in certain cases, it would be advantageous if the roll mantle could be made thinner. The technique of manufacture of a mantle of a variable-crown roll that is currently used, however, restricts any reduction of the thickness of the steel mantles.
A second problem existing in the prior art variable-crown rolls is the high weight of the thick roll mantle and the drawbacks resulting from this weight. It is a significant drawback arising from the weight of the roll mantle that the properties of oscillation of the roll mantle are poor.